Many of us have pets which are considered members of our families. In fact,
nearly half of Americans have a dog and around thirty-five percent have a
cat. These furry friends can provide many emo onal benefits and give affecon and companionship to their human families.
If you are a resident of a homeowners’ associa on or condo associa on and
you have pets, it is important to make sure you are following the rules in
regards to possible restric ons. Most communi es are proud to be petfriendly, but usually have sets of reasonable guidelines to make sure you and
your pets can coexist peacefully with all residents of the community. Here
are some ps to ensure that your four-legged friends will con nue to be welcome in your associa on:
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Review the rules. Some associa ons require approval for pets or they have weight restric ons. If you currently own a large dog and
are considering moving into an HOA, make sure you read the governing documents to see if your pet will meet the requirements. Addi onally, if you already reside in an HOA, make sure before you get a new dog that it will not violate exis ng rules and regula ons.
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Clean up a er your pet. This is very important since your neighbors probably do not want to step in anything le behind by your pet.
A lot of associa ons have doggy bag sta ons which make cleaning up a er your dog much more convenient. This is a simple step to
take that will help keep your fellow owners happy and therefore less likely to make complaints about you or your pets.
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Be mindful of noise caused by your pets. All dogs bark from me to me, but some mes barking can become excessive and become a
nuisance to surrounding neighbors. Some mes a pet owner may become accustomed to the sound of their own dog barking, but this
is likely stressful and upse ng to neighbors who might be trying to relax or sleep. If your dog barks excessively, try to isolate the
cause. Maybe play me or a walk will help relax your furry friend and reduce barking. In some cases, it might be a good idea to research the problem online or even seek out the help of a professional. Not only will this help keep the peace with neighbors, but it
will likely strengthen the bond between you and your pet.
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Do not allow your pets to wander. Any me your pet is outside, he or she should be on a leash. Even if you think your dog will not run
off, all it takes is a nearby squirrel or another distrac on to gain your dog’s a en on and create a poten ally dangerous situa on.
Also, some people are afraid of dogs and should not have to feel nervous if your unleashed dog is wandering towards them. You may
know that your dog is friendly, but a stranger might not realize this. Addi onally, leashing your dog is usually not only a regula on for
the associa on, it is o en a city law. For the safety of your pet and other residents, always leash your pup.
Pets are great members of our families and usually a very posi ve addi on to any neighborhood. Just
remember to be respec ul of others and follow regula ons within your associa on. If you do this,
even residents that might not be as keen on pets will likely be perfectly fine with having you and your
pets as neighbors.
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Testimonial
“Sarah and Ryan, I want to thank you both for the outstanding job you did not only in prepara on for the budget/
annual mee ngs but conduc ng the mee ngs as well. You are both true professionals who go above and beyond
to see that our homeowners’ needs are a ended to. Your professionalism, dedica on, & commitment are not
the norm in the industry, and Pulte is fortunate to have both of you on our team.”